Nowadays, most children start their education in a preschool. Preschool offers good literacy, educational activities, and life skills that carry your child throughout their lifetime. So, consider sending your child to preschool before kindergarten.
At present, there is a broad spectrum of preschools in the United States. Each offers different education programs.
It is therefore challenging to find the right preschool for your children. Luckily, there is a wide range of factors that can help you choose a good preschool.
Table of Contents
5 Main Characteristics of a good preschool
- A warm and friendly atmosphere
More often than not, a reputable preschool offers a friendly environment for you and your children. It is essential for your child to feel loved and appreciated while in preschool.
Additionally, the preschool teachers should be willing to address all your fears, queries, and doubts. Pay a visit to the preschool of your choice to check how it runs. Some of the questions you should ask yourself are:
- How do the teachers relate with the children?
- Do the teachers have enough motivation to teach?
- Is the preschool classroom environment enjoyable?
Now that we are in the covid-19 era, it is essential to check whether the school observes all safety practices to prevent spread of coronavirus. The preschool should observe social distancing and washing of hands.
- Motivated staff members
The teachers in a preschool classroom should be highly qualified and trained. Having experienced teachers is also a win.
Remember, the teachers often determine the credibility of the preschool. They are in charge of running all daily activities in the school. Therefore, always ensure the teachers exhibit professionalism and expertise.
You can easily identify dependable teachers by how they relate to you and your children. Enthusiastic and positive-minded teachers give you a sense of satisfaction. Such teachers encourage your children to be responsible, creative, and independent. Some of the qualities of a dependable teacher include:
- Highly experienced
- Creative
- Enthusiastic
- Active Learning
A good preschool offers active learning. Active learning is more engaging and practical. It involves playing games, singing, drawing, and dancing. Active learning helps your child learn things faster.
Also, it makes your child become more curious and enjoy learning. For example, children find singing the alphabet song enjoyable. At the same time, they are able to learn the letters of the alphabet.
Additionally, the presence of drawing boards helps your child get more creative by themselves.
- Child-Friendly Facilities
Undoubtedly, a good preschool has child-friendly facilities. The environment should be attractive to children. Most preschools have cartoon paintings on walls. Also, they have child-friendly furniture.
Keep in mind that a child may not be able to use adult chairs and tables. Also, the washroom and dining facilities should be accommodating for your child. Before taking your child to a particular preschool, ensure you evaluate all the facilities offered by the school.
- An excellent reputation
One of the major attributes of a good preschool is its good reputation. Generally, a good classroom has a solid reputation. An excellent reputation comes from the services offered by the preschool.
If you hear many parents talking about a preschool positively, then consider the respective institution.
Parents can also identify a reputable preschool by checking online customer feedback. Conduct online research on the best preschools in your area to find your best option.
Some 5 Major learning areas in a preschool
A reputable preschool offers quality learning on all subjects. More often than not, they identify what interests the children. Then, they help them improve their skills and knowledge. But generally, here’s what happens in a preschool classroom.
- Speaking and listening
At preschool, teachers cultivate excellent listening and speaking skills in your child. Your child will have lots of opportunities to express themselves in front of people. Also, when teachers read stories to them, they improve their listening skills.
- Early reading
A good percentage of preschools focuses on teaching their children to read at an early age. Preschoolers are more likely to read their own names and even a complete sentence. So, when they start kindergarten, they usually have an easy time compared to other kids.
- Early writing
Preschool teachers teach your child to write at an early age. At preschool, your child can learn how to write the letters of the alphabet and numbers one to ten. Preschoolers often have access to pencils, drawing books, crayons, markers, among other writing equipment.
- Mathematic activities
Children who attend preschool develop strong mathematical skills. Consequently, this gives them a competitive edge when they start school. Strong mathematical skills help your child obtain higher grades in the future. Most preschools cultivate excellent mathematical skills through games.
- Creative arts
Most preschools seek to improve your child’s creativity. At preschool, children get the chance to draw, play block games, dance, and sing. This way, they are able to think more by themselves. And this sets a good foundation for them in life.
Common activities to expect in a preschool classroom
The majority of preschool classrooms have child-friendly environments that make it easy for your children to learn.
These institutions cultivate excellent life skills in your child, which in turn makes kindergarten easier for them. If you decide to take your child to a preschool classroom, here is what to expect.
- Literacy sessions:
At preschool, your child engages with many activities that improve their language and mathematical skills. Here, children get to read a lot of books. Teachers always prefer reading stories to them loudly.
At times, children listen to stories on using various ICT devices. Moreover, your child gets to write and draw when they attend preschool. In turn, this improves their literacy skills.
- Dramatic play:
Aside from reading, children engage in a lot of play when they attend preschool. For instance, most preschools have housekeeping props or toys that help children become more responsible.
Here, children learn that it is essential to cook, wash their dishes and serve meals. At the same time, dramatic play enables children to interact with each other. Subsequently, this improves their communication and literacy skills.
- Block play:
Blocks are present in almost every preschool. Block games improve your child’s creativity. Children create cars, houses, and bridges through blocks. Moreover, block games help children build strong mathematical skills.
- Art classes:
Most preschools offer art materials to boost the creativity of your child. At preschool, your child is given a drawing book, crayons, paste, and tape. Thus, they can always draw whatever they feel like.
Some preschools offer music and dance classes. This helps your child identify their talents early enough. As a result, you are able to nurture their talents.
- Science classes:
Children who love science can also find a place when they attend preschool. Most preschool classrooms contain aquariums, pets, and plants to boost the room’s aesthetics and offer more hours of play for children.
Teachers usually teach children to handle the pets, aquarium and planting pots in the container. If your child likes to know more, the teachers are usually willing to explain.
- Computer sessions:
At preschool, your child can also develop computer skills. Almost every preschool has a computer room where children can learn the basics of operating a computer.
They can also play games that will improve their mathematical and analytical skills. Besides, computer classes are always fun for children.
- Outdoor playground:
At preschool, children also get the chance for outdoor activities. All children enjoy outdoor play. Here, they play their favorite outdoor game and interact with other children. This way, they improve their communication and social skills. Ensure the preschool you choose has an outdoor playground.
Ultimately
There is a wide range of factors that make a good preschool. But generally, a good preschool has a friendly and child-like environment. Before taking your child to preschool, take time to know all the activities offered by the preschool.